No, it’s not the Missouri. Surely not the mighty Mississippi or the Columbia , not even the not- so- subtle Cahulawassee .

Plain and simple, it’s the Delaware. The unassuming, humble Delaware. You know, as deeply rooted in American history as any of them.

Don’t tell. It is beguiling . It doesn’t often look it, but the Delaware will snuff you out as soon as look at you. It’s not a kind river. It plucks a careless victim or two seemingly every year. Some not as careless as foolish.

Often I have stood on the bridge in Milford or in Frenchtown

If but one reader here is dissuaded from an ill-considered challenge to swim that river, then the simple writing of this missive will have been the least that I could do.

Read that river when you have the chance. Notice an occasional whirlpool ? An eddy or two ? Can you swim through them ? Maybe. Maybe not ! One of them might grab you 10 feet under water! There’s a great chance that it’s stronger than you are . Why tempt fate ?

I am prompted to write this by a conversation I just had with a good friend of mine. He told me of his decision not long ago to swim across the Delaware with a buddy of his. He lived to tell about it…. BARELY.

Do me a favor. NO, do yourself a favor. Learn the word that best describes the Delaware.

INSIDIOUS : 1- intended to entrap or beguile

2- stealthily treacherous or deceitful

That word so describes the Delaware ! Nuff said ?

Oh. For extra credit… while you’re thinking about rivers… at the top of this writing, I mentioned another river that you’d never want to mess with: The Cahulawassee . What movie was filmed on that river ?